Kent County leaders, John Ball Zoo Society at impasse in plans for future nonprofit structure

The brown-headed spider monkeys at John Ball Zoo search for frozen strawberries that they received to cool them off a little in the 90 degree heat in Grand Rapids on Thursday, June 28, 2012.Matt Busch | The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Something of an impasse has developed between Kent County leaders and the John Ball Zoo Society over plans to reorganize an existing partnership into a single nonprofit partnership.

The move which has been in the works for three years is slated to culminate next spring following recommendations from two national zoo consultants that have said the zoo must reorganize in order for it flourish in the future.

Under an existing agreement that will be set aside once the new organization is in place, Kent County owns and manages animals and exhibits at the zoo while the zoo society provides fundraising, educational and animal preservation functions. The new entity would be responsible for all operations.

The zoo society is $10.8 million into a $12 million fundraising campaign for zoo improvements that will pay for a new grizzly bear exhibit and children’s discovery deck approved by the county commission on Thursday.

Insiders say as the transition to the new non-profit entity nears, some zoo society leaders have raised concerns about the process and where it might leave the society.

Irwin could not be reached for comment Thursday night but sources said she essentially wants the county to use the zoo society’s non-profit status for the proposed new entity and appoint the new board in the next 60 to 90 days.

Parrish and several county commissioners said they hope to continue with the county’s plans for merging the two groups. Parrish said she has assured Irwin that an up to 30-member governing board for the new entity would include many existing zoo society members.

“The county has embraced this decision wholeheartedly and believes it to be the best solution for the zoo, the county and its citizens,” Parrish said. “That solution includes moving many of the members of the zoo society board onto the new non profit board.

"Their input and their history is vital to the zoo and we hope they will continue as our partner.”

Gary Milligan, past president of the zoo society and a member of the county’s transition committee, said he doubts concerns that any rift will endanger funding for zoo projects.

Milligan added, however, that changing the organizational structure will change the way the zoo society does business.

“The county has indicated they are going to terminate the contract they have with the zoo society,” Milligan said. “That would certainly jeopardize the zoo society moving forward in the manner it has in the past.”

Which is precisely why the change is needed, according to proponents. They say merging the two groups will create efficiencies and reduce duplicated efforts and confusion about responsibilities.

“We have a bifurcated process now,” said Commissioner Carol Hennessy, a Democrat who represents Grand Rapids’ West Side where the zoo is located. “We need to create one organization. We’re tripping over each other now.”

Commissioner Dick Bulkowski, D-Grand Rapids, who also represents part of the city’s West Side, agreed the proposed new organizational model is what’s best for the zoo and county residents.

“Best practices says this is what we need to do,” Bulkowski said. “The bottom line is this is the best organizational structure for the zoo for long-term sustainability.”